The self-image can be changed

The self-image can be changed. Numerous case histories
have shown that one is never too young nor too old
to change his self-image and thereby start to live a new
life.
One of the reasons it has seemed so difficult for a person
to change his habits, his personality, or his way of life,
has been that heretofore nearly all efforts at change have
been directed to the circumference of the self, so to speak,
rather than to the center. Numerous patients have said to

me something like the following: "If you are talking about
'positive thinking,' I've tried that before, and it just doesn't
work for me." However, a little questioning invariably
brings out that these individuals have employed "positive
thinking," or attempted to employ it, either upon particular
external circumstances, or upon some particular
habit or character defect ("I will get that job." "I will be
more calm and relaxed in the future." "This business venture
will turn out right for me," etc.) But they had never
thought to change their thinking of the "self" which was
to accomplish these things.
Jesus warned us about the folly of putting a patch of
new material upon an old garment, or of putting new wine
into old bottles. "Positive thinking" cannot be used effectively
as a patch or a crutch to the same self image. In
fact, it is literally impossible to really think about a particular
situation, as long as you hold a negative concept
of self. And, numerous experiments have shown that once
the concept of self is changed, other things consistent with
the new concept of self, are accomplished easily and without
strain.